MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBookLibrary: Be Kind + *Kindness Chain* Craft

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing a story exploring what it means to *be kind* and how to spread kindness around the world, featured in MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Be Kind” Written by Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Jen Hill

Book Synopsis and Review

*What does it mean to be kind?* When a young girl spills grape juice on her dress at school, her classmate tries to make her feel better. She remembers her mother telling her to always be kind. However, when her attempt of reassurance fails, the little one starts to wonder, but what does it mean to be kind? This sweet children’s book explores various different meanings of kindness and ways to be kind~ from small acts to grand gestures~ any act of kindness can help change the world~ or at the very least, bring happiness to a friend.

*~Kindness~* such an abstract, yet important concept for little ones to understand. It is also a way of life~ a life of kindness. But how can one bring and share kindness with the world and those around them? This is the perfect read aloud for introducing, or reviewing, what it means to be kind, ways to spread kindness, and how even the smallest acts of kindness can make a difference. Told in a gentle prose, without being overly didactic, little readers will enjoy finding and following the small chains of kindness looping throughout the story. The soft illustrations and sincerity of the young protagonist create an atmosphere of joy upon bringing happiness and brightness to other people’s lives.

Vocabulary

  • Smock (p. 5) an apron you wear so you don’t get paint on you
  • Splotches (p. 6) big, messy, polka dots
  • Violets (p. 6) beautiful purple flowers
  • Tricky (p. 16) when something is hard to do and takes a lot of patience
  • Refuge (p. 23 ) a place to go to for safety and shelter

Themes/ Main Ideas

  • Any act of kindness, no matter how small or how grand, can make a difference in someone’s life.
  • Kindness is a chain reaction. Even small acts of kindness can build to create a grand effect.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Be Kind” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

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*Kindness Chain* Craft

Kindness~ a main focus of mine when teaching *mai* firsties last year. Learning addition, subtraction, and reading, were of utmost importance of course, but if the littles one left, knowing and *wanting* to be sincerely kind to one another and the community and world around them, than I would be a happy teacher. Especially at this age level, 6-7, the little ones are still learning socialization skills~ how to be a good friend, how to be a good *person.* Numerous times throughout the day, opportunities would present themselves to review the important questions *what does it mean to be kind?* We’d review, “Was that a kind choice? What would a kind choice have been?” One of the best ways to start these discussions were through children’s books, using fictitious scenarios that they found humorous in the story, yet could relate to occurrences in their own lives. We’d discuss different ways to show kindness, in the hopes that the little ones would remember and use these acts of kindness themselves. For the young children, reinforcing when they are kind helps acknowledge the joy kindness brings to others and the joy it can bring to themselves. One way to acknowledge kindness and help children feel proud of their acts of kindness is to create a *Kindness chain*. After all, one act of kindness often leads to a chain reaction of kindness. Check out MaiStoryBook’s *Kindness Chain* Activity~ the perfect resource to help encourage and inspire little ones to be kind!

Materials

Directions

  • Download your *Kindness Chain* Activity template
  • Choose black and white- for you to color in yourself, or the colored version. (If you choose the color version, follow the same directions, except without the coloring in)
  • Cut out the giant heart and the mini hearts.
  • Write your name on the giant heart, so other’s can see whose acts of kindness on the chain belong to.
  • Look at the various acts of kindness you can record. They follow the same acts of kindness mentioned in the book. Every time you complete one of the acts of kindness, fill in the corresponding small heart to record your act of kindness and color it in.
  • Then, glue it to the bottom of the heart above it.
  • You can of course complete more than one of the same acts of kindness~ just print out more copies and add them to your chain!
  • Continue adding your small hearts for every act of kindness. See how long your chains of kindness can grow~ and see all the acts of kindness you are spreading throughout the world!

Enjoy Your *Kindness Chain* Activity!

  • Use your Kindness activity chain to remind you and inspire you to deliver acts of kindness throughout your day.
  • Share you Kindness Chain with others to inspire them and give them ideas of how to spread kindness.
  • Use you Kindness Chain to help you retell and explain the read aloud ” Be Kind” to a family or friend.
  • Challenge yourself: How long can your chain of kindness grow?!

*~Overall, have fun spreading kindness around your using your  *Kindness Chain* to inspire you,  and I hope you and your little ones find joy in sharing happiness with your community!  – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary, Twitter @MaiStoryBook  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Kindness Chains*, and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*